From Umar Dankano, Yola
To ensure a change in eating habits especially on food balanced diet, stakeholders including ; Agric-experts, Nutritionists, Academia, Media and Non governmental Organizations have advocated for introduction of more improved workable strategies for quality nutrition across human life cycle in Adamawa state.
The resolution was reached at a four-day training workshop on the domestication of the national social and behaviour change (SBCC) strategy for nutrition programme held in Yola from Monday 19th to 22nd May 2025 with a view to align the stakeholders on the national SBCC framework for giving room to upgrading that in the state.
In his remarks, the Adamawa state Unicef Facilitator on Nutrition Program, Sani Abubakar highlighted that the training was geared towards fine-tuning a document for nutrition which is crucial and vital for the well being of all classes of people in the state.
Abubakar while urging participants to make sure factual data are provided for useful information sharing said that the training aims to align stakeholders with the national SBCC framework, enhance understanding of context-specific approaches, and equip participants with the necessary tools to effectively promote nutrition-related behavioural change within the State.
Abubakar added that the workshop will also provide a platform to strengthen collaboration among key actors working to improve nutrition outcomes in the state (Adamawa).
“We work together to improve nutrition outcomes through evidence-based communication strategies tailored to the specific needs of our dear State”, Abubakar maintained.
Earlier, the lead facilitator of the training, Dr. Steve Daniel of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria told the participants that ,the vision of his team was to facilitate the domestication of Social behaviour change (SBC) nutrition strategy for life cycle in Adamawa state
Daniel stressed that the Federal government through the federal ministry of health in conjunction with partners have developed a four to five years action plan on nutrition in which each state would bring out its own peculiar situation and analysis through the stakeholders meeting, so that what people want (feelings) are captured in the document.
He explained that the interface will accord the people a conducive platform where people from all strata of life will discuss nutrition facts and improvement from conception (pregnancy) to elderly noting that people are given room to say what they feel or want about nutrition in their various communities in the state.
He expressed optimism that with the kind of responses from stakeholders including professionals, Non governmental Organizations and Civil Society Organizations during the training which indicates people’s awareness on the issue at stake as they contributed positively.
A participant,Ismail Abdullahi Bida of the Valfasam Care Initiative on behalf of Civil Society scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria (CSSUN) described the meeting as a good step towards the right direction for the well being of people in the state.
Our correspondent reported that datas on nutrition were recorded during the meeting which will be use in arriving at an acceptable panacea to addressing nutrition challenges or people’s knowledge and practices on eating habits in the state.
